Kerrang! is releasing a Green Day tribute compilation on June 11. What are some of the best pop-punk covers done in recent years?

Popular UK rock magazine Kerrang! has been known for the occasional covermount CD packaged with one of their issues, and they’ll be adding to that list next month. On June 11, Kerrang! will be releasing a tribute album for Green Day’s iconic record, American Idiot, to celebrate its ten year anniversary. According to a flyer tweeted out by Kerrang! editor James McMahon, the track listing is set to feature bands like You Me at Six, Falling In Reverse, Frank Iero, and 5 Seconds of Summer. Additionally, extra covers from Green Day’s Dookie will be included as well. No confirmed tracks have been announced yet, but the thought of 5 Seconds of Summer possibly covering “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” while You Me at Six takes on “Jesus of Suburbia” is enough to have us anticipate the release immensely.

Kerrang! will release their 'American Idiot' tribute on June 11

In the meantime, which covers from pop-punk bands have been the best? You’ve got labels like Fearless Records releasing cover compilations every year, and bands have even made their own cover full-lengths. If anything’s for certain, there’s never a shortage of a band’s rendition of the current hit pop song or a classic oldie, but no matter the genre, they’re always looking to put their own spin on it to make it theirs. In some cases, the covers actually turn out better than the original.

A Day To Remember’s take on The Fray’s hit ‘Over My Head (Cable Car)’ is a perfect example of outdoing the original. The band is no stranger to mid-tempo tracks, and I’ve even seen them referred to as A Fray To Remember for their ability to craft songs that sound straight out of The Fray’s handbook. Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon hits all the right notes to make this cover unforgettable.

Similarly, Yellowcard’s rendition of Michelle Branch’s ‘Everywhere’ is beyond impressive. It’s tough to say that the Yellowcard version is better, but that’s only because ‘Everywhere’ is pretty much the greatest pop song to ever exist. However, the band implements their violinist beautifully, while also nailing the ending key change, and it makes for a combo that still warrants a listen even after all these years.

Yellowcard's 'Everywhere' cover came out in 2002

Perhaps the strongest pop-punk cover in recent memory goes the pop-punk heavyweights themselves, New Found Glory. Not only do they cover songs exceptionally well, but they’ve also made two records dedicated to covers of themes from movies, and both of them have been fantastic. The best one, however, has to go to their cover of Sixpence None the Richer’s ‘Kiss Me.’ The track was included on their 2007 From The Screen To Your Stereo Part II release, and its got everything you loved about the original mixed with New Found Glory’s pop-punk twist. Plus, the music video features Paramore’s Hayley Williams. What’s not to love?

While it remains to be seen whether any of the songs on the upcoming Green Day tribute will earn the title of “best pop-punk cover ever,” it’s definitely a possibility. American Idiot is a timeless staple in the genre, and whichever songs these bands decide to tackle will certainly be worth checking out.